Construction method using wooden bricks

ABSTRACT

A construction method is provided using wooden bricks for building wall structures and the like. The bricks are formed from stocks of wood wastes cut into rectangular blocks. The wood grain of the blocks is arranged to extend longitudinally from a first end to a second end of the block to reduce the effects of wood shrinkage on the completed wood structure. A rabbet is formed in a forward face of the blocks adjacent a top side and the second end of the block. The blocks are laid out similarly to masonry bricks in a staggered pattern.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a construction method using wooden bricks for building wall structures and the like.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The production of lumber from timber in a saw mill is known to produce large amounts of wood waste. A significant portion of the wood waste is in the form of square lumber end cuts being generally two feet in length and having a width and thickness equal to the run of lumber being produced a particular day. These end cuts are normally disposed of by forming wood chips which are sold to pulp and paper industries.

[0003] Canadian Patent 1,220,012 describes a process for the construction of wood dwellings using wooden bricks which may be formed from the wood wastes of saw mills. The wooden bricks are mounted together by an elastic adhesive bonding agent similar to the use of mortar with masonry bricks. The bricks however are subject to significant deformations due to varying moisture content of the wood over time and thus depend upon the properties of the bonding agent to resist cracking and shifting of a resulting wood brick structure.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to a one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall structure comprising;

[0005] a plurality of bricks, each brick comprising a block of natural wood having a wood grain which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end, the bricks being mounted in rows such that the first end of each brick is abutted adjacent the second end of an adjacent brick, the rows being mounted one on top of another;

[0006] and mounting means between adjacent bricks for securing the bricks in a fixed relationship therebetween.

[0007] Preferably the wood grain is generally horizontal throughout the brick.

[0008] The orientation of the wood grain of each brick reduces water penetration due to the side of the wood grain being exposed in the wall structure as opposed to the end grain which is known to reduce water penetration. Also, the orientation of the bricks takes advantage of the directional properties of the wood grain which is known to shrink mostly in a tangential direction. Shrinkage in a radial direction is less pronounced while shrinkage in a longitudinal direction is minimal. With the bricks being oriented such that the wood grain is generally horizontal and extending longitudinally with the wall, the shrinkage of the bricks does not significantly affect the dimensions of the wall structure. The wall is thus able to resist cracking and shifting without depending upon any elastic adhesives between adjacent bricks.

[0009] The mounting means may comprise a wooden connector mounted between adjacent bricks, the connector being inserted into respective apertures in the top and bottom sides of the bricks. The wooden connector may be in the form of any type of connector such as a dowel, a wooden biscuit or wood splines.

[0010] In another arrangement the mounting means may comprise an adhesive compound between adjacent bricks in combination with fasteners extending between the bricks. A combination of glue with screws or nails will adequately secure the bricks.

[0011] A rabbet may be provided in forward face of each brick adjacent a top side and the second end of the brick. This allows a weatherproofing or bonding agent to be applied to the seams between adjacent bricks.

[0012] A forward face of the bricks may be arranged to extend at an incline downward and outward from a top side to a bottom side of the bricks. The resulting wall structure thus resembles clapboard siding which is more capable of shedding water from the seams between adjacent rows of bricks.

[0013] There may also be provided an additional wall structure mounted parallel and spaced from the wall structure. When mounting an additional wall structure, insulating material is preferably mounted between the wall structures.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a wooden structure using bricks of natural wood, said method comprising;

[0015] A) orienting one of the bricks such that a grain of the wood extends longitudinally between respective ends of the brick;

[0016] B) mounting the brick with one end of the brick being abutted with the end of an adjacent brick;

[0017] C) repeating steps A and B until a row of bricks is substantially formed;

[0018] D) repeating step C, with each row being mounted above a previous row until a wall like structure is substantially formed.

[0019] A wooden connector may be inserted between adjacent bricks as the bricks are mounted, the wooden connector being inserted into respective apertures in the top and bottom sides of the bricks. The wooden connector may be in the form of any type of connector such as a dowel, a wooden biscuit or wood splines.

[0020] Alternatively, adhesive may be applied to the bricks as the bricks are mounted for securing the bricks in place in addition to fasteners extending between adjacent bricks. Any combination of glue with screws or nails will adequately secure the bricks.

[0021] A rabbet may be formed in forward face of each brick adjacent a top side and one end of the brick as the bricks are mounted before securing the bricks in place with screws or nails. The rabbet allows a filler or bonding agent to be applied to all the cracks between adjacent bricks for further weatherproofing the wood structure.

[0022] Alternatively, a forward face of the bricks may be cut to extend at a incline downward and outward from a top side to a bottom side before the bricks are mounted. When the bricks are cut in this manner the resulting wall structure resembles clapboard siding such that water is more easily shed from the wall structure rather than penetrating into seams between adjacent rows of bricks.

[0023] An additional wall structure may be formed parallel and spaced from the wall structure wherein insulating material is preferably inserted between the wall structures.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a brick for use in construction of a wooden structure, the method comprising;

[0025] providing a stock of natural wood;

[0026] cutting the stock into rectangular blocks having first and second longitudinally opposed ends;

[0027] forming a rabbet in a forward face of each block adjacent a top end and the second end of the block.

[0028] Preferably the stock is oriented before cutting such that a grain of the wood extends longitudinally between the first and second ends of the block.

[0029] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a brick for use in constructing a wooden structure, the brick comprising;

[0030] a rectangular block of natural wood having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being longitudinally opposed; and

[0031] a rabbet in a forward face of the block adjacent a top end and the second end of the block.

[0032] A wood grain of the block preferably extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end, the grain being substantially horizontal throughout the block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:

[0034]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a wood brick wall structure.

[0035]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a wooden brick.

[0036]FIG. 3 is an end elevational view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

[0037]FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a wooden brick used in a wall structure similar to that of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a wall structure generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The wall structure 10 makes use of wooden bricks 12 assembled similarly to masonry bricks.

[0039] Each brick 12 comprises a rectangular block of natural wood. The brick has a wood grain 14 which extends longitudinally from a first end 16 to a second end 18. A forward face 20 of the brick includes a rabbet 22. The rabbet extends along a top side 24 and the second end 18 of the brick.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the grain 14 is preferably arranged to extend generally horizontally from the forward face 20 to a rearward face 26 to minimise the effects of shrinkage when the brick is installed in a wall structure. Natural wood is known to deform and shrink significantly in a radial direction 28 to the grain, while the shrinkage in a tangential direction 30 to the grain is generally less pronounced. Shrinkage in a longitudinal direction is generally not significant. In this arrangement of the grain 14 of the brick 12, the effects of shrinkage are minimised by orienting the bricks such that the grain is aligned longitudinally with the wall structure.

[0041] The wall structure 10 as shown in FIG. 1 includes a foundation 32 of concrete or other suitable material which extends the length of the wall structure. A plurality of reinforcement bars 34 are mounted within the foundation in a conventional manner.

[0042] The wall structure 10 includes an inner wall 36 and an outer wall 38. The inner and outer walls 36, 38 are parallel and spaced apart for receiving insulation such as perlite therebetween. Both the inner and outer walls 36, 38 include a plurality of bricks 12 which are stacked in a similar staggered manner as conventional masonry bricks.

[0043] Each of the walls 36 and 38 are formed by placing bricks end to end to form rows 40. Each row is mounted on top of a previous row with the ends of the bricks being staggered in relation to the previous row. The placement of the bricks with their respective ends being abutted adjacent bricks reduces water penetration into the wall structure.

[0044] The bricks may be secured to each other by adhesive or dowels extending into respective apertures between adjacent bricks. The rabbet 22 in the forward face of each brick along two sides of the brick ensures that each seam between adjacent bricks includes a rabbet along one edge arranged to receive grout or any type of weatherproofing or bonding agent therein. This further secures the bricks together.

[0045] In an alternative embodiment of the brick shown in FIG. 4, the brick 12 includes an inclined forward face 42. The forward face 42 is at an incline extending downward and outward from a top side 44 to a bottom side 46 of the brick. In this arrangement the wall structure 48 which is formed resembles clapboard siding. The inclined forward face 42 sheds water in such a manner as to restrict the penetration of water into the seam between adjacent rows of bricks. This improves the durability of the bricks. The incline of the forward face is in the order of 5 to 10 degrees from vertical.

[0046] The bricks of FIG. 4 are shown connected by a dowel 50 which is inserted at respective ends into apertures in the respective bricks. The dowels may be inserted horizontally between adjacent bricks in addition to being inserted into respective top and bottom sides of the bricks for securing between adjacent rows and adjacent bricks within each row.

[0047] A suitable material for use in the formation of bricks 12 includes square or better lumber end cuts from saw mills. These end cuts are commonly two feet in length and have a width and thickness of the run of lumber being produced for that particular day. The ends cuts are used as stock for the formation of the bricks 12.

[0048] The bricks are formed by cutting a rectangular block from the stock, the block being oriented such that the grain extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the block as described above. The rabbet 22 may then be formed by subsequent cutting operations such that the rabbet appears as described above. Alternatively in the case of the second embodiment the inclined forward face 42 may be formed in place of the rabbet 22.

[0049] While some embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A wall structure comprising; a plurality of bricks, each brick comprising a block of natural wood having a wood grain which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end, the bricks being mounted in rows such that the first end of each brick is abutted adjacent the second end of an adjacent brick, the rows being mounted one on top of another; and mounting means between adjacent bricks for securing the bricks in a fixed relationship therebetween.
 2. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein the wood grain is generally horizontal throughout the brick.
 3. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein the mounting means comprises a wooden connector mounted between adjacent bricks, the wooden connector being inserted into respective apertures in the top and bottom sides of the bricks.
 4. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein the mounting means comprises an adhesive compound between adjacent bricks in combination with fasteners extending between the bricks.
 5. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a rabbet in forward face of each brick adjacent a top side and the second end of the brick.
 6. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein a forward face of the bricks are arranged to extend at an incline downward and outward from a top side to a bottom side of the bricks.
 7. The wall structure according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an additional wall structure mounted parallel and spaced from the wall structure.
 8. The wall structure according to claim 7 wherein there is provided insulating material between the wall structures.
 9. A method of constructing a wooden structure using bricks of natural wood, said method comprising; A) orienting one of the bricks such that a grain of the wood extends longitudinally between respective ends of the brick; B) mounting the brick with one end of the brick being abutted with the end of an adjacent brick; C) repeating steps A and B until a row of bricks is substantially formed; D) repeating step C, with each row being mounted above a previous row until a wall like structure is substantially formed.
 10. The method according to claim 9 including inserting a wooden connector between adjacent bricks as the bricks are mounted, the wooden connector being inserted into respective apertures in the top and bottom sides of the bricks.
 11. The method according to claim 9 including applying adhesive to the bricks as the bricks are mounted and mounting fasteners between adjacent bricks.
 12. The method according to claim 9 including forming a rabbet in forward face of each brick adjacent a top side and one end of the brick as the bricks are mounted before securing the bricks in place.
 13. The method according to claim 9 including cutting a forward face of the bricks to extend at a incline downward and outward from a top side to a bottom side before the bricks are mounted.
 14. The method according to claim 9 including forming an additional wall structure parallel and spaced from the wall structure.
 15. The method according to claim 14 including inserting insulating material between the wall structures.
 16. A method of forming a brick for use in construction of a wooden structure, the method comprising; providing a stock of natural wood; cutting the stock into rectangular blocks having first and second longitudinally opposed ends; forming a rabbet in a forward face of each block adjacent a top end and the second end of the block.
 17. The method according to claim 16 including orienting the stock before cutting such that a grain of the wood extends longitudinally between the first and second ends of the block.
 18. A brick for use in constructing a wooden structure, the brick comprising; a rectangular block of natural wood having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being longitudinally opposed; and a rabbet in a forward face of the block adjacent a top end and the second end of the block.
 19. The brick according to claim 18 wherein a wood grain of the block extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end.
 20. The brick according to claim 19 wherein the wood grain is substantially horizontal throughout the block. 